FROM BOSPHORUS TO CAPPADOCIA

Our team will meet you at Istanbul Airport. Transfer to your hotel and check-in. Overnight at your 5* hotel in Istanbul.

Breakfast at the hotel. You will be driven by the shores of the Golden Horn, to reach the first stop of the day: The St. Saviour in Chora, a former Byzantine church, a magnificent museum of golden mosaics and frescoes with biblical images, then, visit the district of Ayyub with the Mosque of Ayyub and the Tumb of  Abu Ayyub Al-Ensari, one of the first supporters of Prophet Muhammad. His tomb is Istanbul's most important Islamic shrine. After the lunch visit the Mosque of Soliman the Magnificent, one of the best works of the famous Ottoman architect, Sinan. After the lunch, walk and free time through the pulsating streets of Beyoğlu district from ‘Tunnel’ area to Taksim square, discovering, fish market, flower passage, catholic, Greek and Armenian churches, markets and coffeehouses. Overnight at your 5* hotel in Istanbul. (B,L)    

Breakfast at the hotel. You will start your journey with a discovery of Istanbul's historical heart. You will first visit the Topkapı Palace, the court and the residence of Ottoman Sultans, and home to the imperial treasury, then visit the Hagia Sophia ‘The Church of Holy Wisdom’, the marvelous basilica built in the 6th century, as the masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. It was the largest church in the world for 1000 years; and its interiors are decorated with stunning golden mosaics. After the lunch you will visit the Blue Mosque, with six elegant minarets and a striking indoor with blue Iznik tiles with intricate patterns. You will then take a take a stroll through the Ancient Hippodrome, significant for being the center for sports and entertainment in the old Constantinople as well as very important political spot. After the lunch, free time at the Grand Bazaar, the largest and most attractive covered bazaar in the world. Overnight at your 5* hotel in Istanbul.  

Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning indulge yourself at the Spice Market with its exotic aromas then you will do a boat tour along the European and Asiatic shores of Bosphorus. You will just relax and let the beauty of forests, palaces, mosques, picturesque Bosphorus villages, Ottoman summer mansions, fortresses carry you away.(B,L)         After the lunch, visit of Dolmabahçe Palace. Built in 19’th century, this is one of the most glamorous palace in the world. It was the administrative center of the late Ottoman Empire with the last of Ottoman Sultans residing here. After then we will visit a leather shop where we will attend to fashion show and appreciate leather goods. Overnight at your 5* hotel in Istanbul. (B,L)    

Breakfast at the hotel. Free morning & free lunch, in the afternoon departure to Istanbul Airport for your flight Istanbul – Cappadocia. Arrival in Cappadocia, transfer to your hotel. Dinner and overnight at your 5* hotel in Cappadocia.(D)  

You will have two full days for discovering the beautiful landscapes and thrilling cultural sites of the region. Cappadocia has a unique terra formation, with tuff coned and lunar landscape shaped by forces of nature over millions of years. For ages, men have dug into this soft, but firm tuff to create dwellings, homes (locals call them 'fairy chimneys') monasteries, churches and underground cities. After the breakfast, the first visit in Cappadocia visit will be the Göreme Valley which is home to magnificent rock-hewn churches decorated with Byzantine frescoes (The Apple Church, The Serpent Church, The St. Barbara Church, The St. Basil Church...) After the lunch, you’ll stop at the Red Valley (Derbent) and the breathtakingly beautiful Avcilar Valley. Last, but not least, will be the Uchisar that provides some of the most dramatic panoramas of the astonishing Cappadocia. Dinner and overnight at your 5* hotel. (B,L,D)

Cappadocia was once home to a beautiful breed of war horses, hence the name meaning 'land of beautiful horses'. The horses are long gone today, so are the mighty Hittite warriors who once rode them, but the area continues to be a global attraction for its amazing nature and immaculate cultural legacy. In you second day, in this very special land, early in the morning, you will have a choice to join an optional early morning ballooning tour to witness the beauty of Cappadocia from the sky. This is arguably the best ballooning tour in the world. The regular program continues with the visit of Paşabag Valley (Valley of Monks – where monks used to live in seclusion). Next, you will drive to Avanos, famous for pottery making since Hittites, and for rugs that are among the best examples of Turkish carpet making heritage. Here, you will learn about these regional crafts and see demonstrations performed by local craftsmen. After the lunch, we’ll have free time in Ortahisar village. Ortahisar remains a quaint farming village which has a fortress- like rock rising above its center. You may visit them or simply take a seat at village’s cafes with their friendly and relaxed atmosphere and talk with local people. We will finish the day with a visit of an Underground City. Dinner and overnight at your 5* hotel. (B,L,D)  

After the breakfast, you will be transferred to Cappadocia Airport for your return flight to Istanbul. (B)